JUST as well Craig Levein doesn’t listen to the Tartan Army or he might have heard that booing on Tuesday night.

DON'T know about you but I wish Steven Fletcher had been at Hampden for the last two games.

Still wouldn’t play him for Scotland but I could have really used a right big swig of his Buckfast.

What a dreadful couple of displays from Group A’s diddy team. Sitting through them was like watching a 180-minute loop of Elaine C Smith’s new TV ad.

Just as well Craig Levein doesn’t listen to the Tartan Army or he might have heard that booing on Tuesday night.

The Scotland boss was jeered when his coupon appeared on the big screens and I’m afraid he can’t blame this one on the Hibs fans.

In the post-match interviews it was telling that Levein’s trademark arrogant streak had all but vanished.

It’s not the first time he has taken a wee hissy fit and refused to speak to certain reporters who dared to ask even a slightly tough question. But he appeared to be on the ropes after the Macedonia debacle and almost looked as if he would burst into tears.

To be honest, though, I only have one gripe about Tuesday night. If, as Levein claimed, we were unlucky against Serbia and deserved to win, why then make three changes against an “inferior” team?

But you know what? I reckon we should just celebrate the fact we now have two points.

Let’s face it, we should have been down to nine men against the Serbs (the referee who refused to send off Alan Hutton and Stevie Naismith was arguably Scotland’s man of the match) and only a late save from Allan McGregor (who could also have been shown a red card) spared our blushes against Macedonia.

The bottom line, though, is that Levein has only beaten Lithuania and Liechtenstein in competitive games and he’s lucky to have a few good pals in the media. Be honest, poor George Burley would have been hung from the rafters of Hampden for those two draws.

Compared to Burley – and wee Berti Vogts – Levein has enjoyed an easy ride from the press (despite what Gary Caldwell may think) but that’s fair enough in my book.

As I’ve maintained for years, NO Scotland manager is to blame for the results in our recent international history.

It’s all down to the players and, to paraphrase the slightly vulgar expression, you can only urinate with the appendage you’ve been given.

Hate to shatter your illusions, folks, but if Sir Alex chucked it at Old Trafford tomorrow and took the Scotland job, I still don’t think we’d be going to Brazil.

Levein’s glasses, beard and baseball cap have all been blamed for Scotland’s demise but we just don’t have enough good players (and I’m talking about guys who WANT to play for us before anybody mentions the F-word).

Look at Caldwell. An honest big trier who wears his heart on his sleeve. But when he sliced a shot early doors against Macedonia, the commentator told us it was on his “wrong foot”. Sorry, but should someone with 50 caps HAVE a wrong foot?

And look at the bench on Tuesday night. Off the top of your head how many of those guys can you even name?

Do you think Levein wants to dredge the English leagues to cobble together a team?

No chance. He’d sooner put his feet up on a Sunday night and pick the best 11 players to feature on Sportscene.

But that’s not going to happen. I don’t think we have 11 international-class players in the SPL.

But what about a couple of guys in the Third Division?

According to Levein, guys like Ian Black and Lee Wallace aren’t up to speed in the fourth tier.

But what speed is Hutton up to when he’s not playing any football at all down south?

And Kenny Miller – a true Scotland great in my book – is off the pace courtesy of plying his trade in a Lumberjack League in Canada.

By the way, why is the back of his jersey still emblazoned with “K” Miller? Is Willie set to make a comeback?

Might be wrong but is Scotland the only nation that still puts names on the back of the jerseys? I think that’s so we’ve got at least some idea who these guys are.

The Road to Rio? Ach, what’s the point.

On this week’s evidence, we’d only get rode in Rio.

PS. Kilmarnock boss Kenny Shiels says he couldn’t bring himself to condemn Scotland’s results against Serbia and Macedonia. Hardly surprising just a week after he got rumped by Stenhousemuir on League Cup duty.